My Hero, My Maxwell
by PotoPerson
Summary: The ham-hams decide to take a little adventure into the woods to find the mysterious Heart Springs. The adventure takes a surprising turn that could lead to changes between a certain stripped hamster and bookworm.


I felt the sun hit my whiskers and tiger stripes one morning. The window was open letting the cold autumn breeze rustle my fur and make me shiver. I opened my eyes briefly and then closed them again. It's not like I _had _to get up or anything. "Bye Sandy, be good!" I heard Hilary say. Her foot steps echoed down the hall, the door open then close again.

I buried my head under the wood chip bedding in my cage. I really _really _didn't want to get up. Nothing could get me to leave my cage; do you hear me? Nothing!

"Hey Sandy!"

I opened my eyes and saw Maxwell standing on the window ledge, a book tucked under his arm and a brown messenger bag hanging over his shoulder. "Are you coming?" He asked. Before I knew it was out of my cage, a ribbon in my hand walking to the clubhouse with Maxwell.

O.k. maybe _one _thing could get me to leave my cage.

"So how'd you sleep last night Sandy? Any dreams?" Maxwell asked. I shrugged. "Well I had one." I said. "Oh really; what happened?" Maxwell asked. There's my Maxwell for you, always curious. Well o.k. he isn't _my _Maxwell but a girl can dream can't she?

"Well I don't remember it too well but I think it went like this." I said trying to remember the dream best I could, "I was sitting on the cold ground and it was so dark I could hardly see. Then suddenly I felt a warm paw on my shoulder and a voice telling me everything would be alright." I swear I thought I saw Maxwell's ears perk up like a puppy that sees a honey baked ham.

"Did you hear whose voice it was?" he asked. I thought about it but shook my head. "No but I know it was familiar." I said. Maxwell seemed deep in thought for a few seconds then said, "Well it could be a premonition, you've had those before haven't you?" I nodded. "Maybe."

A silence settled over us. I glanced up at Maxwell and saw he had his nose in that same book he always had. A thought came over me. "What are you reading?" I asked. Maxwell's head snapped up and he looked suspiciously embarrassed. "Uh….nothing…" he said quickly, "Just some…physics…..and…..geometry and….Hey!"

I had snagged the book from his paw and flipped open to the title page. "Give it back Sandy!" Maxwell pleaded. "_A Ham-Ham Tale of Love and Triumph, _What the flip is this?" I asked. Maxwell blushed a deep shade of red making him look like an overripe tomato and muttered something inaudible. "What was that now?" I asked. "A love story" he muttered, "I like to read them."

I opened to a random page and started reading out loud in an obnoxious English accent. "And the rare and radiant maiden called out into the cold and dismal night, 'Oh my protector who holds the key to my love and livelihood, please take me from this place of deceit and betrayal to a place where you arms are my castle and your voice is my nights lullaby!'"

Maxwell put one paw in front of my mouth and grabbed the book with the other. "Please stop someone might hear you." He said. He glanced around nervously; fortunately for him the park was empty. I took his hand down and smirked. "Don't worry your secret's safe with me my little Romeo." I said. Maxwell turned red again making him look like the previously mentioned vegetable…..fruit.

"Um…er…look it's the club house." Maxwell said pointing the opposite direction. I turned my back to him and sure enough there was the clubhouse. I turned back to him and caught him doing a little salvation dance. "Romance lover _and _good dancer? You are full o f surprises Maxwell." I said. Maxwell stopped mid raise-the-roof and put his hands down at his side looking _extremely _embarrassed.

I chuckled"Come on lets go." I said grabbing his paw and walking towards the clubhouse. After a few steps I stopped. I had just realized I was holding _Maxwell's_ paw! I let go and muttered, "Sorry" Now it was my turn to blush. After a few moments of awkward silence I said, "Well let's go then." With that we walked into the clubhouse, and I had the undying feeling I shouldn't have left my cage that morning.

I sat at the round table across from Maxwell while the others discussed something that didn't really interest me. Half the time I didn't really pay attention to what the others said. I just sort of stared off into space and went into my own little world. Sometimes I'd steal a glance at Maxwell and caught him staring at me from over the top of his book. If our eyes met then he'd just look down at his book again and I'd sigh and go back to whatever thought I was thinking about.

"So it's settled!" Boss said suddenly. All the hams cheered except for me and Maxwell. "So I wasn't the only one not paying attention." I thought. But I shook it off and asked, "What's settled Boss?" "We are going to search for Heart Springs and discover its many secrets." Dexter replied pushing in his glasses. "What's Heart Springs?"

Maxwell pulled out a book of legends from his messenger bag and flipped open. "Heart Springs is a spring in the woods that is rumored to have a spirit who lives there that rewards true love." He said. "Lets go find that Heart Spring!" Hamtaro said. With that nearly everyone rocketed out of the room leaving me and Maxwell alone.

"Well we'd best catch up before we're completely forgotten." Maxwell said putting away the books. "And how fast would we have to go to do that?" I asked. Maxwell shrugged with a smile. "Who knows?" he said. I smirked. "Is the famous Maxwell stumped?" I asked with a laugh. "It would appear so." He said. Just then Hamtaro popped his head in the door. "Are you two coming?" he said. We nodded and followed Hamtaro into the forest.

We walked along side the river in the forest. It wasn't all that deep of a river but when you're a three inch tall rodent then you see things in a whole new perspective. But we stayed along the road and searched for clues for this Heart Springs. I really was genuinely curious about this place.

But sadly after a full five minuets of intense searching we decided to take a break and wander about the forest aimlessly. I spotted Maxwell sitting next to the water, reading that book again. I sneaked behind him and looked over his shoulder. Oddly enough it was the same page I had randomly flipped to, so I found my place and continued reading; this time in my head but still in that obnoxious English accent.

"And then suddenly the handsome and gallant hamster appeared on his mighty dog steed. The fair maiden joined him as he slid off it and took her in his arms. 'As long as I am here beside you I shall let no harm come to you, not now not ever!'"

The book snapped shut making me flinch. Maxwell turned back glaring at me. "uh…..hi?" I said with a nervous laugh. Maxwell smiled and shook his head. "You are to curious for your own good sometimes Sandy." He said. "Hey so are you." I said sitting next to him in the grass.

We were quiet for a moment before I asked, "So what do you think about this Heart Springs place?" "It sounds pretty interesting." Maxwell said. I smirked. "Just like a real life love story huh?" I said. Maxwell turned bright red (Yet again) and he dropped his head. A wave of guilt washed over me.

"Ah come on Maxy I was just kidding." I said quickly, "I actually like love stories." "Really?" Maxwell asked. "Am I the girl that would kid you?" Maxwell nodded. "Well yeah, but trust I'm not kidding." I said. Maxwell's humiliated look turned to a wide grin. "Curious _and _gullible!" he said.

My jaw dropped for a moment. Maxwell _actually _fooled me. I know what you're all thinking and all I have to say this is Maxwell we're talking about here! I recovered from my shock and playfully punched him in the arm.

"Penelope get down!"

We both turned and saw Penelope jumping up and down on a tree branch and Pashmina franticly trying to get her down. "Come on Penelope your going to hurt yourself!" Pashmina called. Just then a strong wind blew and little Penelope was blown right off the branch.

And this is when my heroine instincts kicked in. I ran as fast as I could to the rock little Penelope was about to fall on. And I leapt up to catch her which I did with perfect grace and accuracy. As I landed to the ground all the ham-hams surrounded me while applauding and showering me and thank you gifts of money, and sunflower seeds, and acorns, and toys, and more money and…..alright I'll tell you what _really _happened.

Penelope was falling so I ran over and caught her but when I did I lost my balance and fell in the river dropping Penelope on the rock. Less glamorous but still just as heroic. But anyways…

The river was sucking me down stream and I had to seriously kick my legs to keep myself from being sucked under completely. I heard Maxwell calling my name and I felt less doomed just knowing he was at least running besides me. I cracked an eye open and saw a de-rooted tree lying across the river. I stopped kicking and was sucked under just in time for my head to miss the tree.

When I came up again I saw one heck of a sight. Sprawled before me was a beautiful pond. The water on it was so still that is seemed to be made of glass. At this point the other hams had found their way over the tree trunk and had joined me in gapping at the sight before us. I heard a small voice somewhere amongst the crowd mutter "Heart Springs" but I could hardly hear that little voice because I was too busy listening to Maxwell's voice scream, "SANDY!"

I snapped back to reality and realized the water had steadily picked up while I was gawking and it was now dragging me out into the water. I turned and dog paddled towards the shore where Maxwell was reaching his paw out to me. I slowly reached out and grabbed it but the current sped up again and whipped me back out towards the pond, taking Maxwell with me.

We both were sucked out to the pond which somehow had turned into a whirl pool and had us in the vortex. The world around me was moving so fast I thought my head was spinning! O.k. so it was, but that's besides the point. I wasn't embarrassed to be holding Maxwell's paw anymore. In fact I was holding onto it for dear life as we were sucked into the center of the water, and then everything went black.

I woke up when I heard Maxwell's voice calling me. I opened my eyes but everything was dark. "Maxwell…." I called weakly. "I'm here Sandy." I still couldn't see him but I knew he was sitting right besides me. I could hardly move because I was too numb but I at least manage to sit up, but I couldn't manage to do much else.

"Where are we?" I asked. "I'm not sure, we fell down here after the whirlpool sucked us in." I heard Maxwell say. I felt a pain in the center of my heat when the realization hit me, it was _my _fault Maxwell was down here. If I hadn't grabbed his hand he would have been safe on the shore in the sun light not down in a hole in the ground who knows where.

"I'm so sorry Maxwell…" I whispered as hot tears rolled down my cheeks. "Hey Sandy don't cry. We'll get out of here, wherever here is, don't you worry everything will be alright." Those words seemed very familiar to me, but I didn't think about that because I had collapsed into Maxwell's arms sobbing into his shoulder. He held me without saying a word.

"So _this _is how that maiden what's-her-face in that book felt to have a knight in shining armor to hold her." I thought without even thinking I started reciting the words from the book. (No not in the English accent this time) "Oh my protector who holds the key to my love and livelihood, please take me from this place of deceit and betrayal to a place where you arms are my castle and your voice is my nights lullaby"

I felt Maxwell's heart beat pick up immensely. But he echoed me by saying, "As long as I am here beside you I shall let no harm come to you, not now not ever." Yes I know this had to be the cheesiest moment of my entire life, but at the moment I didn't care. And at this moment I still don't care.

Suddenly light flooded the area and a high pitched voice, like the tingle of bells said, "What are you Hamsters doing in my house?" We both looked up from our extremely cheesy moment to see the one and only Harmony standing by a light switch with a confused look on her face. "Well?" she said.

We looked around and saw that it was definitely a room. There was a bed with a white comforter with pink hearts against the wall and everywhere else the decor was the same, heart patterned wall paper, Heart patterned lamp shade, heart pattern tissues, everything but the floor which was cold gray stone and a suspicious looking lever. Books and other things cluttered the floor.

"This is your house?" I asked in surprise. "Yes, that is what I said." Harmony said. Me and Maxwell looked to each other then scrambled to our feet. "We're sorry Harmony." Maxwell started explaining, "We fell into the pond and the rapids started picking up all of a sudden and…"

"Wait you came in through the spring?" Harmony asked. We nodded. Harmony bounded into the room and started shoving things in closets and on shelves. "Oh my! I cannot believe I have visitors after all this time. And I haven't even had time to tidy up." Harmony was saying.

I watched her in amazement at how fast she could get a room looking semi-decent. When she was finished she turned and looked at us. "Do you know why I live down here?" she asked simply. "Because you have a weird taste in houses?" I asked. Harmony giggled. "No because whenever people come to this spot it means they really are in need of a cupid-ham." She said.

Me and Maxwell stared at her. "Um...not to be rude but when would anyone need a Cupid-ham?" I asked. "Well when they're in love sillies!" And the staring continues. Harmony didn't say anything but took to her dainty little Angel wings and fluttered around us looking us over.

"Oh yes you too are _definitely _one of the finest couples I have seen in some time." She said to herself. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What makes you think me and Maxwell are a couple?" I said trying to sound aggravated but couldn't stop my voice from squeaking in surprise.

Harmony landed back down in front of us again, a knowing smile on her face. "Well for one thing you haven't let go of each other's paws since I've been here." She said. I glanced down and found that I still was clutching Maxwell's paw for dear life. I was reluctant to let go at first but I let go for Maxwell's sake.

"Second, the only time the Spring brings people to this spot is when they are deeply in love." Harmony said adding a giggle on the end, "And _that _is why I live down here." My jaw dropped. Me love Maxwell, there was just no way no….oh who the flip am I kidding? Of course I love Maxwell. But he….

"Well anyway as it states in the Cupid-ham's Manuel I am suppose to give you both something." Harmony turned and started shuffling through a drawer and returned carrying two small, smooth, pebbles. They were both an ugly shade of brown. She held them out to us. We reluctantly took them and were surprised to see the surface of it swirl to black then change to a pearly white.

"This is…how did?" Maxwell stuttered. "When you two are together the pebbles will stay gold but as you travel away from each other the colors will change darker and darker. It is a gift that only I can give." Harmony said proudly.

Other then thinking she could also give a hamster a nasty head ache from listing to her high pitched voice I was also still hung up over the whole Love thing. I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard Harmony say, "Well you two best pitter along now! Your friends will be worried about you." "How will we get out of here?" Maxwell asked. Harmony pointed to directly above our heads and we looked up to see a heart shaped window that looked up to water above.

Harmony moved our hands together and stepped back to the suspicious looking lever. "Hold hands now, don't mention this to anyone, goodbye dearies, goodbye!" Before we could ask what she was talking about she had flipped the lever and the cold water engulfed us again. And just as before my vision went black.

My eyes fluttered open to see the blue sky over my head. I rolled my head to the right and saw Maxwell was next to me, his eyes still closed and our paws still intertwined. "Max, hey Maxwell." I called. He groaned and opened his eyes and looked at me. "Sandy?"

We sat up letting go of each other's paws. We were sitting next to the spring again which was now glassy and calm. The others were no where to be seen. "Did that really just happen? I mean, did we really just see Harmony in a tacky bedroom?" Maxwell asked. I rubbed my temples with my paws. "I sure have a head ache like I just listened to Harmony talk." I said.

Just then the others climbed through the brush accompanied by Elder ham who looked like he'd fall head over heels asleep in a matter of seconds. When they saw us they ran over to us throwing more questions than we could count at us. "Are you alright?" "What happened?" "Are you hurt?" "Are you….Zzzzzzz" "Why did we bring Elder ham to help see if they're ok again?" "What are those you have in your paws?"

At the last question me and Maxwell looked down to our paws to find we were still holding the small golden pebbles. Our eyes locked. "…_the only time the Spring brings people to this spot is when they are deeply in love." _Harmony's words echoed in my head.

"Well whatever. Let's just get back to the clubhouse, I'm really hungry." Oxnard said bringing us out of our thoughts. They all agreed and began walking back the way we came. Me and Maxwell lagged behind a few moments. "Thanks for back there Maxwell. It was really brave of you." I said to him. A familiar blush crept over Maxwell's face. "It was nothing, really. I mean I'm no hero." Maxwell said. "You are to me." I said taking his paw in mine. We gazed up at each other breathlessly.

"Hey come on you two! I'm really hungry here!" Oxnard called back. "Well we'd better be going." Maxwell said letting go of my paw and walking ahead. I cast one last glance at the glassy waters of Heart Springs then continued forward behind Maxwell. I don't care what he say, he is _way_ braver than he gives himself credit for being.

Besides even if he doesn't feel the same way he'll always be my hero, my Maxwell.

Sandy put down her pen with a sigh. She wished more than anything Maxwell was with her right then. It had been months since that day, and months since she'd last see Maxwell. The day after that his family had packed up their shop and moved, leaving her behind.

At the moment she was sitting in the club house a journal in her lap. She'd taken up Journaling ever since Maxwell left and was _extra _careful with it. No one for miles around had ever gotten their paws on her journal long enough to read it.

Sandy had gotten to the Clubhouse especially early that morning and no one else was in the club house, aside from Snoozer who was asleep and Boss who was at the moment sleeping. Little did she know the Club House wasn't as empty as it seemed.

Sneaking nearer and nearer to her humming the tune to mission impossible under his breath was a red pan. It stopped to the left of her. It lifted up ever so slightly and a small white head peaked out. She had a dreamy expression on her face and left the journal unprotected in her lap. "Hook, line, and sinker." Thought the hamster as he reached to it.

"Cappy what are you doing?" Sandy asked. Cappy froze. Sandy was looking at him through narrowed suspicious eyes. "Well?" she asked. 'It's now or never Cappy!" his thoughts raged. He snagged the journal off her lap and ran for dear life out the door. This is when Sandy's warrior instincts took in and she ran after him roaring, "CAPPY!!!"

He darted down the hall of the new addition that Boss had recently added for if a hamster needed to stay over-night and ran into one of the rooms slamming the door behind him. Sandy wiggled the door knob but it was locked. Sandy pounded on the door in vain. "Cappy! You'd better give me my journal back!" Sandy called. But he didn't open it.

Sandy folded her arms annoyed. He'd have to come out some time. After waiting impatiently for 10 minuets she took to pacing up and down the halls, Tossing a pebble up and down in her hand. Yes it was indeed the same pebble from a few months ago, and yes she always kept it with her still.

She had noticed that it had taken to changing color for no reason lately. It went from green to gold and back again. At the moment it was a very light gray. Sandy sighed. "Harmony needs to work on her rock making skills.

As she walked down one way there was the click of a door unlocking. Sandy turned back around and saw Cappy walking out the door looking carefree and pleased with himself while sucking on a lollypop and holding her journal in the other hand.

Sandy charged and Cappy, seeing the enraged girl ran down the other way dropping the journal and whining, "It's not my fault! _He _made me do it!" Sandy stopped chasing him at that. "He" usually meant that someone (Most likely Stan) had bribed him to take her journal. Well she wasn't letting him (Meaning Stan) get off that easily!

She grabbed the walked into the darkened room right away noticing the figure standing against the window. "Alright Stan give me back my-" She stopped cold in her tracks when she realized that wasn't Stan.

"Kids today will do anything for Candy." The figure said turning and facing her. Sandy gasped. Standing before her, grinning, was Maxwell. "M-Maxwell?" She breathed. Maxwell chuckled. "The one and only." He said.

Sandy could hardly believe it. Her head felt like it was in a fog. The journal fell from her paw. "How did you…." "My owner let me go a while ago. I wandered around until I made it back here. Sandy I'm sorry I left without saying good-bye." He said.

Sandy grinned. "I'll forgive you if you promise not to hire children to hijack my journal again." She said. "Deal." Maxwell said hugging her. After some time of blissful silence Sandy asked, "So how much did you read? In the journal I mean?" "Oh just one entry." Sandy breathed a sigh of relief but then her heart froze back up again when she realized what entry he must've read.

She backed away from him fast as she could and grabbed the journal off the floor in a panic. Just as she was about to bolt from the room Maxwell grabbed her hand spun her around and kissed her cheek. "Maxwell…" she breathed. He backed up gazing into her eyes. "Sandy of course I love you too. How could you think that I don't." he said. Sandy stared at him mouth agape, and then threw her arms around him.

"Oooooh! Maxwell and Sandy sittin' in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Cappy shouted as he sprinted into the room. Sandy shot him a glare and Cappy seeing the evil look ran out of th room, still laughing his head off. Sandy turned back to Maxwell. "I'll bribe him to make him keep his mouth shut." She said. Maxwell grinned. "My hero." He said jokingly. Sandy walked to him taking his paw in hers, much like that day those months ago, and said, "My Maxwell."

_**THE END!!!!! **_

**A/N: I know it's sort of a sudden ending. But that's just the way I've been planning to end it and I just didn't want to end it any other way. Reviews would be lovely, and flames would be ugly and ignored. **


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